


Don't You Ever Tame Your Demons

by SargeantWoof



Category: Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Blood and Torture, Dark Albus Dumbledore, F/M, Good Death Eaters, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Torture, Inspired by Hades and Persephone (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Manipulative Albus Dumbledore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2020-04-20
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:47:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23675596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SargeantWoof/pseuds/SargeantWoof
Summary: A retelling of Greek Lore through Harry Potter, focused on Hades and Persephone, though others play a part.It might be a bigger part than originally intended, as there is now an actual plot, but the focus of Hades and Persephone remains. Vaguely follows the canon for most major events, just different circumstances cause them.*The tag of 'Good Death Eaters' is a little misleading. As there is no wizarding war, in the same way, there is no real faction of Death Eaters.  However, Tom Riddle does lead an opposing group to Albus Dumbledore who is positioned as the villain. He is absolutely irredeemable. *
Relationships: Hades/Persephone, Hermione Granger & Harry Potter, Hermione Granger/Neville Longbottom
Comments: 6
Kudos: 67





	Don't You Ever Tame Your Demons

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [III. The Chosen](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13351968) by [LittleMulattoKitten](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleMulattoKitten/pseuds/LittleMulattoKitten). 



> There is a torture scene that is graphic if you would like to skip it - just skip the entire section where they arrive before Zeus towards the end of the fic. The next 'scene jump' features blood but is not a torture scene.

There is a boy, awaiting her.

She knows it like she knows the scent of Fall, of the way change, twines within her soul. She can feel it, beneath her, the earth growing and stretching, brushing against her tiny senses. She breaths in once, sucking in the dirt and the rot in the moss under her small hands. She presses down, calling out a greeting in a language she does not know.

Instead of welcoming her, there is a moment of panic, the earth frenzied, before it all dies down. She hears a single note, low enough that she feels it moreso and then her eyes slip shut.

When she awakens, she knows nothing of the moments before she was asleep, just has a slight shift in her mind, an awareness that wasn't there before. Her mother comes over, gently running a hand over her curly hair and her awareness sinks beneath her consciousness, latching tightly into her being, hidden for now.

***

Friendship is nothing like what she thought it would be.

It wasn't that she was expecting anything groundbreaking - except, well, she had _hoped_. Instead, she was left to the sidelines, vaguely accepted for friendship but more useful for research and books. There were moments, though, moments when her eyes caught on her peers, specifically one. His eyes felt like more, felt like they were tracking over her soul, reaching into places she did not know.

She would blink and look away, her eyes catching on others, watching the way none would ever really look at her the way he would. She paused, fingering her vine wood wand, darting a glance to the left of her where he stood. He offered a small smile and she stared, uncertain with the potential until his smile slipped from his face and he left the common room, his small first-year body slipping from the crowd with ease.

She started, almost standing until a heavy grip landed on her wrist. Ron arched a brow at her, frowning, "I need help with this," he said, his voice rising to become a whine. "You said you would help."

"And I will," she said, slipping back into her place on the couch, the worn threads irritating her for once. She picked up a quill, forcing his exit from her mind. It would be fine, she would make sure of it.

***

She scurried along the hallway, keeping her head down. She had had enough taunts in her single year at Hogwarts to last her a lifetime, and still, hearing Malfoy call her _mudblood_ had almost done her in. She didn't understand for a long moment why she was so upset on the Quidditch pitch until she had gotten back to her dorm room.

She hadn't been hurt so much as _enraged._ Something had called to her in the moment, to cut and sting and strip those who laughed at her of their very selves. She had wanted to kill them, and in the moment, the emotion had scared her so much that it had become palpable to those around her. Her tears were after her self, her sudden potential of destruction. She had no idea where it had come from, her sudden rush of violence.

She had followed Ron and Harry to Hagrid's hut, swallowing raggedly over and over again until the tears stopped falling and she felt centered. None of them had been of any help, with Ron too busy vomiting and Harry too caught on his own ferocity. She had felt tiny, swamped by the depth of her emotion, until she had suddenly felt completely empty, drained of anything.

When her head had nearly knocked itself against the table in her tiredness, she had excused herself, slipping deftly from the cabin with a small murmur. Harry had been concerned but she had waved him off, heading up the lawn, each stride of hers feeling as though she was walking a mile.

She could not remember when she had last felt normal.

***

He had heard the whispers before he understood them, and in those moments where understanding built, he felt numb, until it crested into a terror he had never felt before. The sudden emotion of fear took him by surprise, leaving him panting in the shared bathroom, curled in a ball.

"Alright mate?" Dean asked, pausing from where he had thrown open the door. Dean stepped closer, ignoring his nodding head. He heaved him up to his feet, splashing cold water on his face. He shivered in Dean's grip, wrenching himself back as soon as he got his feet underneath him.

"I'm fine," he gasped out, ignoring the water trickling down his face as he avoided looking at himself in the mirror, too aware of the disaster that he was. "I'm fine, Dean, thank you." He closed his eyes at the look in Dean's eyes, wiping his face with a random towel left hanging on a hook.

"Sure thing," Dean said after a moment of quiet. "Just be careful, okay?" He shook his head, pressing his face deeper into the towel, waiting until he heard the footsteps leave the room and the door shut behind him. Neville lifted his head, making eye contact with himself in the mirror for the first time in days. The whispers echoed in the back of his head, _petrified, petrified, stone, stone_ , ceaselessly.

"Get it together," he whispered, taking in his red-rimmed eyes and translucent skin. Outside the bathroom, threaded into the stone, a vine shriveled and died, a line of black through striking the middle of the green.

***

"And you still think this is the best route for her?" Minerva said, taking a sip from her tea and watching as a flicker of darkness passed through Albus' eyes. She closed her eyes against the wash of rage that she felt from him before he smothered it.

"Of course my dear," he said, smiling at her. "What's the worst that could happen?" He extended his hand, gently dropping the time turner into hers. Each clink of the chain felt like another weight on her shoulders, another piece she had to carry.

"May I go?" she asked, clenching the turner so tight she was afraid it might break.

"Of course," Albus said, his voice full of smug satisfaction. She turned away before she had to see the look of satisfaction on his face, her shoulders tense, rising to leave. "I would so hate…" he said, trailing off as she reached the door. Minerva stood, her back to him, waiting for him to finish his sentence and counting down in her head until she could leave without causing an issue. He cleared his throat, taking a long sip before continuing. "I would so hate for Miss Granger to _not_ succeed."

"Indeed, sir," Minerva said, pushing open the door and stepping through, forcing back a shudder at the change in tension. "I imagine you would."

***

_"…There is nothing that can force the awakening on earlier than 17, though many have tried. Forcing the body through varied stresses and complications can only hurt the potential and as such, all those who are suspected of being an Awakened are told to not do anything too serious…"_

_-The Awakened: Guides to Knowledge_ by Salazar Slytherin

Underlined by three separate quills, in a well-worn book sitting in the Hogwarts library on the Northernmost shelf of the 'Awoken' section. Chapter 2, Page 37, Second Paragraph.

_"…Those who have awakened often speak of their urges to do something which had only become clearer when they awoke. Not following those urges had no real ill intent, but many who don't have been heard to wish that they had. This is especially clear for those who follow repeated paths. Rarely will partners be torn apart or disgusted by each other, and reincarnated twins will follow each other through their lives though they may not be born to the same family…"_

_\- Patterns and Problems_ by Minister Artemisia Lufkin

An accidentally dogeared page, with smudged ink from the batch of misprinted books from 1932, sitting in the Lovegood library underneath a three-week-old cup of tea. Chapter 5, Page 87, Third Paragraph.

_"It is whispered about, what the uncompromised and steadfast chosen are like, said that they are cruel and vicious, unrelenting in their rejection of mortality even as they stride among those who are mortal. There are those who choose to remain on the earth and do not visit the Parthenon remain stuck in an increasingly toxic mindset. Being a God but not returning to Godly soil taints the current manifestation in ways still not understood…"_

_-Shaken Faith_ by Hestia

The burned original, held in the Black family library under lock and key which has not been touched since 745 AD. Page Unknown, First Paragraph.

***

He was watching her again, with a stare that she suddenly felt no matter where she was. She shifted, trying to listen to Professor McGonagall without letting him know how unnerved she was.

She didn't know what he wanted, she didn't know why he suddenly was so interested in her. Unless, she thought, suddenly struck by inspiration, maybe he knew about the turner. She frowned, dragging her hand over her wand, the familiar pattern of leaves soothing to her as always. She knew logically that she shouldn't say anything to him, her secret was only suspected unless she said something and it would do nothing but cause problems if she confronted him.

_But._

But if she confronted him, she would have to be near him, and maybe that would soothe the ever-growing ache that she felt when they were apart. She didn't understand it, having gone to Madam Pomfrey the first time she had felt the ache. She thought it was simply a part of growing up, the strange hollowness. She had been checked over, the invasive search yielding no results, her ache still present.

Since then, she had worked in ways to get close to him, helping him with homework when Ron and Harry were busy or walking with him to the Greenhouses when she was on her way to Hagrid's. It was only recently, only this past week, that she had become increasingly aware of just how many times he stole looks at her. His gaze was unending and made her feel strange, like a jolt of caffeine to the system.

"We have a third-year meeting this weekend," Professor McGonagall called before she dismissed them. "It is absolutely necessary, and it concerns the Awakening." At her words, the class stilled, before bursting into a flurry of activity at the toll of the bell. Hermione followed Ron and Harry out the door, sliding away from them as they became absorbed into the larger group of Gryffindors heading to their dorms.

She stood outside the door, waiting for him to appear, only the tapping of her fingers on her bag betraying her nervousness. A shadow slid over her, the sudden change in light causing her to jump. She whirled around, finding Headmaster Dumbledore behind her.   


"Miss Granger," he said, smiling at her. "Just the student I was hoping to see. Would you mind terribly if we took a walk together?" He nodded towards where the time turner chain was concealed against her neck, stepping away from the doorway and waiting for her to follow him. "I have some questions about how you're holding up."

***

"Wow," Ron said, falling backward onto his bed, their dorm empty for once. "I can't believe one of us might be a God."

"Or Goddess," Harry mumbled, his face smushed into his pillow. He turned his head, cracking open an eye to take in Ron's disgusted expression, before rolling his eyes and sitting up. He frowned down at his hands. "It makes me wish that my parents had survived."

Ron arched an eyebrow at him. "What?"

Harry shrugged, interlocking his fingers over and over again, clenching tighter each time. "It just would've been a nice thing to know."

"Oh," Ron said, floundering for something to say. "I suppose."

***

Hermione stared at the flames in the common room, slowly absorbing the information Professor McGonagall had told them. She hadn't realized that some of the Gods were still out there, still waiting to be awoken. She shivered at the thought. It had been a lot to take in when she had been new to the Wizarding World and was being told that the Greek and Roman Gods were able to be reincarnated within their society. To now be told that some were missing, that some had chosen to be returned to a semi-mortal cycle? That the power in the Parthenon was incomplete?

She shivered again, flinching when her arms brushed up against something solid. She tore her eyes from the fire, flinching back again when she made eye contact with Neville. He sighed, scooting over, giving her space. They sat there for a moment, him studying her as intently as she was studying him.

"You okay?" He finally asked. She shrugged, her face softening from the tense lines it had been in and her hair aglow in the setting sun. He nodded, turning away from her. "Yeah, me too." He felt more than saw her turn back to the flames. They sat together, sliding closer every so often until darkness fell outside. By the time the moon had risen, the two were asleep, heads tilted together as though they were telling each other secrets in their dreams.

***

"Oh, I knew that already," Malfoy said interrupting, after having listened in on the conversation that most of the third-year Gryffindors were having. At their upset faces, he smirked. "Malfoy House secret," he said, turning and flouncing away.

"One of these days…," Seamus said glowering at his back and letting his threat trail off. The others nodded in solidarity. Hermione stood still, watching as Malfoy faded in the distance. Neville stayed with her, the others in their group sweeping off towards the tower.  
  
"Is something wrong?" He asked when they were alone in the corridor.

Hermione shook her head before turning to face him, curiosity flashing across her face. "Why does he think he's so much better than everyone?" she asked.

Neville shrugged. "Probably because of who his family is," he said, watching her. "When your mother is the Queen of the Gods you tend to get a big head."

"I thought she would've been married to the Headmaster," she said her nose scrunching up in thought. "Aren't they bound for life forever?"

Neville shrugged again, looking back down the hallway where Malfoy had disappeared. "I guess after so many years the sanctity of marriage doesn't mean so much anymore."

***

She knocked on the door of Professor McGonagall's office, waiting for a welcome before stepping through. She fidgeted with the coiled up necklace in her palm, careful to not turn the hourglass too far in either direction. As she entered, she took in the small changes to the room from when she had been there last, at the beginning of the school year.

"Ah, Miss Granger," Professor McGonagall said warmly, gesturing to the seat in front of her desk. "What can I do for you?"

Hermione sat down on the edge of the seat, balancing on the edge, ready to spring up as soon as she needed to. "I'm here to return this," she said, extending her hand. For a moment Professor McGonagall didn't move, staring at her. Hermione forced herself to unclench her hand, letting the time turner drop. Professor McGonagall, reached out, gently pulling it from her hand.

Hermione snatched back her hand as soon as she was free, sitting on it to fight the urge to grab the turner back and run from the room. Professor McGonagall gave her a long look, before dropping it into a drawer. As soon as it was out of sight, Hermione sagged forward, her tension leaving her frame.

"Miss Granger," the Professor exclaimed, getting up from behind her desk. Hermione waved her off, taking in a deep breath. Professor McGonagall stopped, leaning back against her desk as she waited for Hermione to regain her composure. She took another deep breath, smiling for the first time in ages.

"Thank you, Professor," she said, getting up from her seat and offering no explanation. Before Professor McGonagall could say anything she turned and left, a skip in her step.

For a long moment, Minerva stood at the edge of her desk, thinking. She could not remember giving Miss Granger the time turner. In fact, she could not even remember approving more than the usual classes for her.

***

" _It is in the height of summer that certain Gods are said to be strongest, and others are said to be weakest. As with each turn of the year, new seasons heighten powers. The only one rumored to be unaffected by this power is the mighty and unstoppable King of the Gods: Zeus…"_

_\- Power Dynamics in Gods_ by Bathilda Bagshot

Albus Dumbledore's private annotated copy, stored among countless other books at the private Dumbledore cottage.

Prologue, Page xi, First Paragraph.

" _…Hidden underground is said to be a realm of wealth, accessible by only one God, Hades. Allegedly used for the whims of Persephone, these riches are untouched six months of the year, though even if they were touched every day of every year, the wealth is essentially inexhaustible, with more being churned out. The nonstop growth has many calling Hades the Lord of Riches, though no one knows how much that is…"_

_\- Powers of the Gods_ by Unknown, translation attributed to Merlin

The show book in the 'P' section of Flourish and Blotts which is permanently broken on the spine from being held open to the entry of Melinoë, Goddess of Nightmares and Madness.

Chapter 8, Page 134, Third Paragraph.

" _..coiled within, the darkness can sing, voices have called, none more appalled, the God of night, the bringer of fright, those who fear, never been more near…"_

\- Luna Lovegood's Journal

Tossed underneath her bed at home, the top half of the page is ripped out, with this line written through underneath the tear and a field of flowers drawn underneath. It is unclear if the two are related.

Page Unknown, Paragraph Unknown.

***

"Gods can come down from the Parthenon, right?" Harry asked, not making eye contact with her as they sat underneath an apple tree in the Weasley family orchard. She had to restrain her immediate flinch at the mention of the Gods, instead, turning and cocking her head inquisitively in an unspoken invitation for him to continue. He swallowed, fiddling with a piece of crabgrass in his hands. "I just…" He flicked his eyes up, taking in her face quickly before dropping them back to his lap. "Last year, when Professor McGonagall said all that stuff about how the Parthenon was still looking for some who had been reincarnated and how if we had any they'd be awoken at 17 with the onset of adulthood and whatever, she also said that we could all stay friends." He swallowed hard. "We could all stay friends because we could come and go from the Parthenon."

She reached out, stopping him from ripping up more crabgrass. "And?" she asked. "None of us are 17, we still have like three years - if any of us even are one."

Harry nodded, flipping his hand up so that their fingers tangled. "And so I realized that I use to have two of the Gods in my life but," he paused, making direct eye contact with her. "But when my parents died they left." He frowned, the sorrow and anger deepening his normal scowl. "They bloody left."

"Who left?" Hermione asked, frowning back at him. "Because that might've played a part in it."

"Sirius Black and Remus Lupin." He said, his voice almost a growl. "And I looked up who they are, and they're both important, yeah, but they could've come to visit at least once, you know?"

Hermione nodded, looking away from him so she wouldn't be tempted to ask which of the Gods they were. She could always look them up later, she supposed, which was better than making Harry angrier than he was. Harry sighed beside her, his tension seeping out of him with each quiet moment. "You can ask," he said rolling his eyes.

She shook her head, "If it bothers you…"

"It doesn't," Harry said, "At least not with you."

"Oh," she said, fighting a smile. "Then who…?"

Harry sighed again. "Aphrodite and Hermes," he said. "Which is so weird to me."

She hummed absently, her mind whirling over the possibilities. "Did you ask Headmaster Dumbledore?" Harry nodded. She frowned, her lips twisting. "Ah."

Harry shrugged as though it didn't matter to him, but the expression on his face belied that. "He said that Tom Riddle was closing the barrier to the Parthenon." Hermione nodded slowly as he continued. "He told me all about how he was trying to overthrow him and how he wanted to change everything." He shook his head, a dark look on his face. "Riddle's causing a lot of issues for him." 

***

The announcement of others to join them was unexpected. She swallowed down her momentary uneasiness at the thought of foreign Parthenon's joining them at Hogwarts. She knew why it was happening, as it was always good to have friends in high places, but she was confused as to why they would invite Durmstrang and Beauxbatons to their halls if they were incomplete.

She had mapped out the missing Gods and Goddesses, tracing through book after book, stumbling across knowledge she would have thought that Headmaster Dumbledore, or _Zeus_ , would have hidden. Apollo, Artemis, Tyche, Nemesis, Hades, Persephone, Deimos, Phobos, Morpheus; other Gods and Goddess were still missing. She didn't understand why either. For all intents and purposes, they had no reason to become reincarnated.

Rowena, Godric, Salazar, and Helga had remained the same year after year since the founding of Hogwarts. She knew it was a bad sign when Godric, _Ares,_ and Salazar, _Athena_ , were still friends. In the early years of the Parthenon, neither could stand each other. She frowned, tracing over her notes again. Why would they be so close now?

Something was wrong.

There was something rotten in the core of the Parthenon, and try as she might, Hermione could not stop until she found the source.

***

"Miss Granger," Professor Snape called over the ruckus of the exiting students. "I need you for a minute."

"Yes sir," she said, making eye contact with Neville and blushing. She headed to the front of the class, waving off Harry and Ron who tried to wait for her. Harry caught her eyes, raising his eyebrows expectantly. She rolled her eyes but nodded in agreement, she would fill them in later.

"Miss Granger," Professor Snape said, watching her. "Are you aware of who I am?"

"Yes, sir," she said, ducking her head from his piercing gaze. "Professor McGonagall explained just who certain staff members were last year."

Professor Snape said nothing for a moment, steadily trailing his gaze over her. He took in her frizzy hair, the semi-permanent ink stains splashed across her fingers, the way her tie was sharply knotted and placed precisely in the correct spot. "Yes," he finally said, grimacing. "And unfortunately, that means that I am here to offer a word of warning from my other half."

"Oh," she breathed, raising her eyes just in time to catch the flicker of _other_ that he rarely let loose.

"Yes," Professor Snape said again, breathing in. He held it for one moment, and then, "I hope you will listen," Janus said, the haze of mortality lifted for a brief moment. He too studied the girl, watching for her choices and options to come before him. "Trust yourself," he said abruptly. "There is no one who knows yourself more than you."

Hermione nodded, a flash of fear sliding down her spine. "Yes sir," she said again, watching as Janus nodded once before subsiding into Professor Snape once again. "Thank you."

***

Hermione's quiet no was a surprise to everyone in the dorms, Neville reflected. The moments after she said that she had a date, it had almost felt as though time had slowed, her word shaking through the ground until everyone had known. Neville had nodded, offering her a smile, brushing past Ron, whose face was growing redder with every moment that she didn't say she was joking.

He stumbled through the doorway, brushing past Fred and George, ignoring whatever it was they were saying. He walked through Hogwarts, letting the shadows creep over his shoulder as the darkness grew. He left the well-traveled paths, wandering down the stairs, heading for the dungeons. He walked until he was lost, turning corner after corner until he was dizzy, sliding down the wall to sit, the gentle Lumos from his wand the only source of light.

He flicked his wand, extinguishing his light and letting the absolute darkness seep into his bones. He closed his eyes, revisiting the flicker of sadness through her eyes as she said no. He replayed the memory over and over until he felt nothing, blinking open his eyes.

He blinked again, rubbing his eyes to check to see if he was seeing what he thought he was. In the stone before him, a tiny speck of something was glowing. He stood, uncaring of the dig of the rough stone wall into his hands. He reached out, gently prodding the glow, before glancing around, and taking another two spots in opposite directions.

He picked a direction and walked to the spot, peering further down the hallway to see if he could find another. He could, so he moved forward, shuffling awkwardly forward with his hands out, praying he didn't run into anything too hard. He followed the spots, noticing that they grew brighter as he did, before eventually reaching the last one.

The last glowing spot was roughly the size of his fist and as he peered closer, he realized it was in the shape of a door handle. He extended his hand, gripping his wand tight in his other. His palm covered the majority of the glow, which felt vaguely warm to him.

He turned the handle, stepping through into the wide room. The glowing lights were everywhere in it, illuminating the area so he could see without any needed help from his wand. He walked further into the room, his mouth dropping open in amazement as he took in the depth of the room. Behind him, the door swung shut, it's heavy thud heralding change.

He wandered down the rows, taking in the raised beds and the strange plants growing from the walls. He cocked his head, hearing a rush of water. He smiled, a feeling of satisfaction settling into his shoulders as he spun once more, taking in the whole room.

It was perfect.

***

She frowned, taking in the set of his shoulders as he turned away from her. Her lack of desire to go after him only further cemented what he had been whispering in her ear as they stood in the shadowed alcove. Victor was simply not for her.

She sighed, her shoulders slumping as she considered her options. She could leave, go back to her dorm, have the peace and quiet that it would afford her before the rush of her roommates came back. She could stay and be visibly alone, and deal with the various rudeness that she would get from her peers. She sighed again, her exhale shaky with tears.

She turned, brushing under her eyes once, careful to avoid the mascara and eyeliner as she stepped out into public view once more. No one was around, something she was grateful for, as she took another deep breath.

"Granger," a boy said, appearing at her elbow. "What's the matter now?"

She glanced up, taking in the pale hair and fair skin before dropping her gaze once more. "Victor decided he was better off without me," she said after a moment of consideration. After all, it wasn't like Malfoy wouldn't know the story anyways in the morning.

Malfoy frowned, awkwardly placing a hand on her chin to raise her eyes back up to his. "I didn't take you for someone who would be swept into Tyr's games."

Hermione flinched back, pulling from his grasp. "I didn't realize he was _Tyr_ and not Victor tonight," she said bitterly, glaring at him. "I just thought that he was being Victor."

"He is," Malfoy said, staring at her. "Victor is Tyr and Tyr is Victor. They're the same person." He reached out again, his hand dropping at her twitch away from him. He sighed, scrubbing his hands through his hair. "Did no one explain to you-"

"They did," she said, cutting him off and glaring at him. "And I know that even though I'm a mudblood, I can still keep up."

Malfoy sighed again, frowning. "I don't think they did, Grang- Hermione," he said, avoiding her stare at her name. "And don't call yourself that," he muttered, turning from her to head back into the Great Hall. "Happy Yule," he called over his shoulder as he pushed through the doors, the warmth and light spilling out into the corridor she was standing in.

She shivered, frowning at his words. The silence behind Malfoy's exit was too much and she turned, hiking up her dress and beginning the lonely trek up the stairs to the tower.

***

"… _I don't understand, Albus. You tell me it's too much for me to come back. You say that it's dangerous. And yet, when I tried to leave this morning, simply to stretch my legs on Earth, I'm unable to leave at all? Not only does that cross so many lines it isn't even funny, but you've gone to the length to restrict me from my duty. Do you have any idea what you've done?"_

\- Sirius Black's Letter to Albus Dumbledore

Sirius's eighth letter to Albus in the past week. It sits unread underneath three others in Albus's study.

Third Page, Final Paragraph.

" _…Hogwarts is rumored to be directly descended from the Parthenon, as in it is directly taken from the Mount and was put on Earth as a way to connect to the Gods at all times. Who wouldn't get a kick out of that? Now, readers, I know what you're thinking, how is that possible? And I do not know how it is, but I do know that under the guidance of Headmaster Dumbledore, also known as Parthenon Leader Zeus, that there is nothing the Gods can't do…"_

_\- Questions for the Gods, Answers for the People_ by Rita Skeeter

The 1982 article sits among the stacks of other newspapers in the Hogwarts Library, in the News Archive Section in the Eastern shelving unit.

" _…Poseidon, Ares, Athena, and Hestia have not been seen since the founding of Hogwarts, leaving many feeling as though something was going wrong. Zeus has been seen every century since, often unchanging and instead simply taking on a new name as he wished. When Hogwarts was founded, Zeus was known to the common folks as Merlin, a title which is often distant from his current name of Albus Dumbledore today…"_

_\- Where Have They Gone?_ by Valentina Slughorn

Hidden in Hermione Granger's trunk, under three interlocking wards covered by a blood ward. It is one of the last copies within the British Isles.

Chapter 11, Page 256, Second Paragraph.

***

Neville hummed to himself as he left his cavernous room. It had been months since he had first found it and in that time, he had put so much effort into the room that it was almost unrecognizable from when he had first stumbled in. He no longer brought out his wand to find the room, wandering around until he found the glows. He had finally nailed the turns, memorizing the path to the room. He smiled to himself. He probably could do it blindfolded, and that was a nice surprise.

He paused, hearing a strange noise up ahead. He slid into the closest alcove to him, his fingers tight on his wand as he balanced on the balls of his feet, ready to spring out at a moment's notice. He peeked around the corner, blinking at the lights emanating unexpectedly from someone's wand. He pulled back, moving deeper into the shadows and casting a small notice-me-not charm across himself.

"Are you sure he went this way?" a voice hissed lowly. "I don't want to be down here all night."

"I'm positive," Malfoy responded. Neville flinched further back, his back scraping against the stone. Why was Malfoy looking for him? He gripped his wand even tighter, the wood pinching the skin of his palm. Malfoy sighed, coming around the corner. "He can't be coming down here like this." Behind him, Theodore Nott and Daphne Greengrass stood, their wands equally bright, but lowered.

"We know," Greengrass said, frowning. She huffed, exchanging a look with Nott before turning back to Malfoy. "How far down do you think he went?"

Neville thought for a moment, his face twisting before he slipped from the shadows, stepping directly in front of Malfoy. Malfoy jumped back, a shout cut off as he clenched his jaw. Nott flinched, bringing his hand up and Greengrass flicked her wand, casting a stunner that Neville neatly dodged.

"Good god, man," Malfoy said, his face whiter than usual with fear. "What would possess you to do that?"

Neville shrugged, leveling him with a look. "What would possess you to follow me here?"

***

Fred knelt on the cold stones, ignoring the aches in his knees as he slid the last piece into place. The runes spiraling around him flared, glowing intently. George tilted his head from where he stood, studying the dizzying array.

"I think you were right," he said. "The runes wouldn't look like this if we weren't-" He cut himself off. "If you weren't one of them."

  
Fred rolled his eyes, rocking backward to his heels, the sudden rise of his body snapping himself from the runic sequence. The glow disappeared, the room muting in color. "It's going to be the two of us," he said confidently. "Otherwise, I'll have to do something drastic."

George sighed, nudging him out of the way as he took his place in the center. He paused, steeling himself for disappointment before slowly lowering himself to the floor. The glow began again immediately, lighting up the room just as brightly as they did for Fred. George swallowed a laugh, glancing up at Fred whose eyes were shining with glee. "Well that's that, then," he said softly, reaching out and touching a rune.

"Uh-huh," Fred said, scrunching his nose. "Now all we have to do is figure out who we are." He smirked at George. "I think I know who we can ask to help us."

"Oh," George said, a sly grin sliding onto his face. "I bet she would be delighted." He stood, brushing his knees and striding to the door. "Let's go find her now." He swung the door open, hearing Fred follow him through. "Oh Miss Granger," he called, as he walked through the doorway into the common room. He caught sight of her sitting by the window, Neville at her side. He smirked, winding his way over to her through the usual ruckus. "Would you be so kind-"

"No," Hermione said, not looking up from her book. Neville stifled a smirk, hiding his face in his book.

"You haven't even heard the offer love," Fred said, sitting on the armrest beside her. He tugged a curl, taking care not to pull too hard, chuckling when she swatted at him without glancing. "I think you might like this one."

"The last offer you made me involved me letting you charm me for twelve hours and when I said no, you did it anyway."

"But," George said, dragging out his word. "The charm lasted for only one." He smiled at her, prodding Neville over until he was able to slip in next to her. She glared at him. He lifted his hands in supplication, a pleading look on his face. "No charms this time?"

She narrowed her eyes. "No charms?"

"No spells even," Fred answered. "Just a little research." Her expression didn't change. He huffed, "On my honor." She arched a brow, looking between the two of them before glancing over at Neville who shrugged.

She sighed, rolling her eyes and snapping her book shut. "Fine." She ignored them high-fiving over her. "What do you want me to look up?" George leaned over, whispering their discovery into her ear. She nodded once, surprised. "I'll get on that tonight."

"Thanks, love," George said, leaning over and pressing a kiss to her cheek, Fred mirroring him. She blushed and rolled her eyes again, punching him on the shoulder. George cackled, getting up from the couch, waving goodbye to them as he tugged Fred away.

Hermione sighed, her face content even as her blush remained bright on her skin. "So it's like that, isn't it?" Neville teased, smiling at her. He held his hands up as she threatened to punch him too. "Just a joke! Just a joke!"

***

"He said what?" She frowned, staring at him. "And we should believe him why?"

He stared at her, blinking. "Did you not hear a single thing I've said?"

She waved her hands at him. "No, I did. I'm just finding it hard to believe." She sighed. "Let me go over it one more time, just to make sure I have it down. Mrs. Malfoy is Hera, and so Malfoy has known about a lot of this stuff before he was supposed to. Mrs. - _Hera_ , has felt something shifting and told Malfoy to look out for unusual things. He has been and noticed that you've been slipping off and followed you to warn you because - not only is Hera _worried_ but she thinks that Zeus is building up to potentially destroy new Gods?" At the end of her spiel, Hermione was panting, her curls bouncing with every vigorous nod.

Neville nodded, fighting the urge to reach out and pull a curl. "And," he said, his face twisting in a frown. "He thinks I might be one." He paused, before adding. "And you."

"And- Hades?" Hermione said, shifting in her seat. Neville nodded his head. Hermione huffed a laugh, Neville smiling at her. "Well, that's… something."

He grinned. "It is, isn't it?" Hermione rolled her eyes. He gave in to his urge, tugging a curl. "You're taking this awfully well."

"It's bullshit," Hermione said, staring at him. She arched a brow at his look. "There's no way," she held up a hand at him, pausing what he was going to say. "There's _no way_ that's true." She laughed, her voice uncertain in ways she didn't let herself think about. "You- you being an awoken, I can understand, no really," she said, her voice earnest in a way Neville didn't expect. "You're good and kind and you're so smart." She breathed for a moment before continuing. "You could be any of the remaining Gods or Goddesses and it makes sense. Me?" she asked. "Me? You want _me_ to believe that I'm reincarnated, that I'm waiting to be 'awoken' in a few years?" She shook her head. "That's not- I'm not… just no."

"I think you're wrong," Neville said, watching her so intently she had to look away. "I think that Malfoy is wrong about parts too, but," he swallowed. "You're wrong too." He tugged another of her curls, grabbing her hand when she tried to brush him off. "There's something more to us," he said, peering at her. "You can't say we haven't always been drawn to each other, or at least interested in each other in ways that were more than we expected."

She sighed, brushing her other hand over his cheek, "I'll admit to the fascination," she said, blushing lightly. "I don't think you're right about the other stuff."

Neville smiled, tightening his grasp on her hand. "All I needed was one concession."

***

She paused, staring at the greenhouse. The glass room was familiar to her, as beloved as the library. She had taken to following Neville in, working on her homework as he puttered around. By now, the smell of growth and soil was as soothing to her as the scent of inks and parchment. She tilted her head, absentmindedly thinking over the past few months.

She couldn't remember the last time she hadn't sought Neville out. She blinked, stunned at the sudden revelation that she was closer with Neville than Ron and Harry. That wasn't to say that she didn't see them just as often as she had before Neville had really come into her life, but that she would go to him instead of the library when she could which was increasing at the stress of OWLs rose.

It also helped that he was willing to know her. He would listen, really and truly, willing to be all ears for her, just as she was willing for him. With Neville, it was easy, from the flow of conversation to the silence. She felt no pressure, no need to morph herself into something else. She could simply be, accepted and known, completely at ease.

"Are you coming?" Neville said, bumping the door open with his hip and offering her a smile. "I've been waiting for you."

Hermione smiled at him, joy blooming across her face in the way that only he could bring. He smiled back, running a hand through his hair and offering her his other. She skipped forward, gripping his hand tightly. "Of course," she said. "Wouldn't miss seeing you for the world."

***

"There is an issue," Headmaster Dumbledore said, watching the crowd of children in front of him intently. His voice had muted the entire room but the sobriety of his words silenced all of them. He sighed, offering them a small smile. "I know that those in the government wish for me to be cautious with my words, to hold them back in hopes that there will be no spilling of blood, no fight." He paused for a moment, his eyes steady on them. "That is not how this world works," he said. "And even as a God, I know better than that. War will always find its way in, even when Ares is not leading the charge."

"There is another God who seeks to challenge the current positions we hold." He said, making eye contact with various students throughout the crowd. "Tom Riddle, or as we Gods know him, _Nike_ , has been raising issues within our community for many decades but only recently has he gained enough followers to actually pose a problem." He paused again, letting the tension build. "The Parthenon and I believe that he is going out of his way to seek Hades."

The name of the longest missing Council God sent whispers spiraling through the crowd. He waited a moment before clearing his throat to continue. "Hades is thought to currently be walking among you." At that news, the students erupted into noise, people throwing accusations and pointing fingers. Hades had been missing for so long that the thought of his incarnation walking the halls had people up in arms. No one knew why or how he had gone missing, and everyone wanted to.

Headmaster Dumbledore cleared his throat again, silencing them once more. "As you know," he said, staring down at the Gryffindor table. "Hades is often, though not always, accompanied by his bride, Persephone." He made eye contact with Hermione, a prickle creeping down her spine at his look. "And we at the Parthenon are looking forward to welcoming them home." He dragged his eyes away from her, offering a smile at the crowd. "If you think you know which students are them, please, come forward."

He leaned across the table, his voice darkening as his power of Zeus shined through. "And, if you or anyone you know, have heard of the power this Tom Riddle is attempting to gather, come to me immediately." He smiled, the twinkle in his eyes absent. "I would be most delighted in what you had to say."

***

" _…Lord and Lady Potter perished last night in an unfortunate freak accident, leaving their seat on Wizengamot able to be accessed by Lord Zeus, as per usual. Today our hearts are with the remaining Lord Potter, a child of one, who Lord Zeus has assured us has been placed in the appropriate care of family…"_

\- Radio Transcript from November 1st, 1981

Stored neatly in the Wizarding Network Radio storage shed in Diagon Alley. Obituary Section, Second Page, Third Entry

" _You have gone too far, Zeus. This has become a point of issue for all of us. You know that I was chosen to send this letter because there was the hope that I could appeal to your brotherly nature. However, they do not know what I know, which is that even when we were young Gods, you were paranoid and selfish, filled to the brim with ideas of power…"_

\- Poseidon's Seventh Draft Letter to Zeus

It sits in Rowena's private office, full of scribbles and cross-outs, the paper is torn as though the writer had been furious. It and all of the others will never be sent. First Page, Initial Paragraph.

" _…keep your eye on them, darling. Even though I am not with Zeus in this life, and I haven't been for centuries, I know what he is like, jealous and fickle, unrelenting in his quest for more. If Mr. Longbottom and Miss Granger are who I suspect they are, then Zeus has known for years. Make no mistake, he will kill them, just as he has in every incarnation since…"_

\- Narcissa Malfoy's Letter To Draco Malfoy

It burns in a fireplace. Draco sits, waiting for the letter to become ash, which he will then scoop up and take with him, sprinkling a little bit across every place he visits this year until there is no hope of it being reformed. This is the 16th time he has done this, this year. Third Page, Second Paragraph.

***

"I'm afraid," Hermione whispered, sitting next to Neville in the slowly darkening greenhouse. Professor Sprout had come through, gently closing off the glass windows until the only one that remained was the one in front of them. She hadn't come over to close it or told them to head back to their dorm, instead, she had offered them a small sad smile and left, the vines of plants attempting to cling to her. "You'd think there would be more than this," she continued. "That in the world of Gods and Goddesses that more would be figured out. That more would be known."

He shifted beside her, pulling her closer to him so he could whisper into her hair. "Maybe more is known." She stilled, resting her cheek against his collarbone. He continued, lowering his voice even more. "I think there may have been a sweep of information."

She hummed lightly, thinking over his words in her mind. "I just wish we could have faith in everything," she said. They fell quiet again, content to stay tucked in close together. The sunset passed, darkness falling across them as they watched the sky. Hermione ran her eyes over the stars, mulling over the gaps in her knowledge, the sudden changes in Malfoy's relationship with her and Neville, the fact that Fred and George were set to turn 17 and their badly kept secret of awakening.

"Hermione?" Neville said, breaking the silence in the softest way possible, his voice a mere hint against her skin. She tilted her head back, looking up at him. He blushed, flicking his eyes at her, before looking back out the window. "I just-" he paused, starting again. "I really like you," he whispered. He looked down, watching red bloom across her face. "Would you-" he swallowed hard. "Could we- maybe- labels?"

She smiled at him, reaching out to touch his face. "I've been waiting for you to ask forever," she said, her hands cool on his burning face. He smiled back, before reaching out and twining their hands together. She pulled back, tilting her head up, Neville dropping his down.

Hermione shuddered at the touch of his lips on hers. She had kissed others before, Victor once, Ron, Harry, Lavender, random others on dares in the common room. Nothing felt like kissing Neville, that there was something more, something delicate that felt like coming home. She smiled into the soft kiss, feeling him smile in return.

He pulled back, snapping open his eyes to see her. She reached up, touching her smiling mouth before opening her eyes. Neville swallowed hard that the glint of _other_ that slid through them, his heart pounding at the knowledge that it was true, what Malfoy had told him, that she was more. He knew she would never believe him, so he kept quiet, vowing to tell her as soon as she would be receptive to it.

"Oh," Hermione said, glancing around her. "Oh, that's different." Neville looked around them, taking in the sudden blooming of flowers in shock. Every plant that had a flower had one, their petals open and unfurled, the scent of pollen suddenly heavy in the greenhouse. Neville reached out, rubbing a hand over the flowers, shivering at contact. When he glanced over at Hermione, he was surprised to see how pleased she looks.

At his glance, she shrugged. "I'm just glad - I'm yours and you're mine," she said, a sly look in her eyes. "You're quite a catch." Neville sputtered, his face going vibrantly red as Hermione began to laugh. He sighed, rolling his eyes but his annoyance softened as she settled back into him, the two sliding together as though they were made for each other.

***

"I am concerned," Minerva said, frowning at Filius, Severus, and Pomona. "If he gets worse than this, the Parthenon will fall."

Pomona nodded in agreement, her cup of tea set aside as she busied her hands with the growth of the ivy on the walls of the staff room. "I am concerned for you," she said, expectantly looking at Minerva. "Magic has felt strange recently, are you sure that you are doing well Hecate?"

Minerva shuddered at her name, rolling her eyes. "I am, _Dionysus_ ," she said pointedly, ignoring the scowl of displeasure on Pomona's face at her older name. She shook her head, getting back to the issue at hand. "My concern is that he will do something drastic and the Parthenon will fall and we will fall with it."

Filius hummed, sitting in front of the fire, his hands fiddling with his wand. "He has done something drastic, and we all are aware." He looked at Severus, watching the younger man. "We have all made choices."

Severus huffed. "Say what you will, then."

"I mean that we are aware that he has sought out Hades and Persephone each incarnation," he said. "Is there nothing you can do?"

"Of course there is nothing I can do," Severus said, his voice sharp. "You think I have not stood before him asking time and time again to try to choose another option?" He shook his head. "He does as he wants, and damned the consequences." He smirked at Filius. "I thought you would've remembered that, as he stood next to Hera as she threw you from the Mount."

Filius glared. "You forget yourself too much Janus."

"Enough," Minerva snapped, exchanging a look with Pomona. "I do not have time for this, and unless you two forget - you do not either. He will be returning soon and this must be over and done with." The two men inclined their heads, their apologies unspoken. She scoffed. "Now, back to the issue, we all think that Miss Granger and Mr. Longbottom are the two?"

"Yes," Pomona said, inspecting the vine to make sure it was to her standard before grabbing her tea and sitting down. "It's almost obvious in hindsight."

Severus shrugged. "We warned her fourth year." He glanced around the room, taking in the looks of surprise. He rolled his eyes. "I am not so much a complete bastard that the thoughts of one of my students being murdered in my care does not sit well with me."

"Right," Minerva said, a shadow passing through her eyes at the thought. "Nonetheless, we must shield them as best we can." She shuddered again. "I would not see them murdered on the eve of the awakening like last time."

***

He stood, pacing the halls of the Malfoy Manor, its sleek design of no thought to him as he wore down the centuries-old carpet. "Sir?" Bellatrix Lestrange said, cocking her head at him. "Severus has reported that it is almost completely confirmed that the two we suspected are Hades and Persephone." 

Tom Riddle spun, smiling at her. "Well, that is excellent news." He walked past her, heading into the office which held Narcissa and Regulus Black. He set himself on the edge of Narcissa's desk, positioning his body so he could see the entire room before asking, "Any other news?"

Narcissa tilted her head, her eternal crown winking in and out of sight as she thought, watching at Bellatrix slid into a seat in front of her. "Well," she said, "Draco says that the twins, whom we have suspected for as long as we've known about them, are set to awake within this week." Narcissa smiled, her face bright and lovely, so much so that the others had to restrain themselves from beaming back at her as well. "I am hopeful that they will see sense and not be quite so swept up in the usual Weasley support of Zeus."

"That is good news," Tom said, well aware of the fact that Narcissa didn't make such predictions lightly. He turned to Regulus. "Any news from you?"

Regulus nodded, a pained grimace slipping over his face. "Sirius has reached out." He pulled a note from his pocket, smoothing out the wrinkles. "He has been constrained to the Parthenon much like the others."

Tom frowned. "I had hoped that he would have been overlooked."

"No," Regulus said, sighing. "He was friends with James Potter."

"And that's still an unknown piece, right?" Bellatrix asked, her gaze darting from Narcissa to Tom. "Their deaths were sudden and so strange," she said, her brow furrowing in thought. "And then Sirius and Remus were recalled back to the Parthenon and Harry was whisked away."

Tom nodded, tapping his fingers on the wooden desk in front of him. He looked back at Narcissa. "Are the others at Hogwarts receptive to us?"

She nodded, taking a sip of her tea, the gentle clink of china the only sound in the quiet study. "Minerva, Filius, and Pomona would all work with us if they thought they could. Severus said that Minerva has been consistently confounded over the past few years, and the other two are wary of Zeus too, but also that we cannot expect them to assert themselves against him when he is so powerful in his castle."

"That's… understandable," Tom said. "Unfortunate, but understandable." The room fell silent, each contemplating their own thoughts.

"Why is Harry Potter so important?" Bellatrix exclaimed suddenly. "I have been running it over in my head, and Zeus has sought to isolate him from other Gods time and time again. Did he somehow manifest when he was a child and Zeus had to take him out? But why not kill him?" She got up from her seat, beginning to pace. "Which God would Zeus want on his side, to the point that he would not destroy him?"

Regulus shifted, frowning in thought. "If you weren't alive," he said, nodding at Tom. "I would've guessed Nike."

Tom blinked, his eyes widening in realization. "Zeus would love for nothing more than for me to fall on my sword, wouldn't he?"

"Oh no," Narcissa breathed, her thoughts following Tom's exactly. "You think that Harry Potter is Nemesis, don't you?"

Tom smiled a small weary smile. "If Zeus can fashion Nemesis into a weapon against me…" he trailed off, locking eyes with Narcissa. "If we fall, and Hades is unable to awake…"

"The powers will eventually go to Zeus," Bellatrix said, staring at them. "And the Parthenon will fall. For good."

***

The gasps woke George first, the heavy pants emanating from Fred's bed. He frowned, rolling over in the darkness, grabbing his wand and waving it, casting the date in low glow above his bed.

  
"Shit," he hissed, beginning to pull himself up as the 01.04 began to fade. He sat up, pushing his covers off, before slumping over as heat began traveling through his body. He clenched his teeth, his knowledge expanding, information suddenly slotting in. Across the room, Fred screamed, the sharp noise suddenly cut off as Lee swore, flicking his wand and illuminating their dorm.

"Fuck," Lee muttered, sliding from his bed. He strode over to Fred, asking him questions that he couldn't answer as he lost himself in the awakening. George attempted to stand, getting his legs under him before losing control and falling. He closed his eyes, bracing himself for impact, but instead of pain, he saw a flash of color from behind his eyelids and he knew no more.

  
***

"They're going to be okay, right, Professor?" she asked, suddenly nervous at the thought of what Professor McGonagall would say. She had never disliked the twins, in fact, she had always thought that they were brilliant, but she hadn't known how deep her affection for them went. It had only been when she had woken up to the utter madness that was the common room and heard what had happened, that she had suddenly realized how worried she was. 

Professor McGonagall nodded, her face worn. "Awakenings are always different for each God, Miss Granger," she said, offering her a biscuit from her tray in her office. "Messrs. Weasley had a hard awakening because of who they are." Hermione nodded, her face attentive. "They are two sides of the same coin, but that coin is one for strife and pain." She sighed at the look of curiosity on her face. "They will tell you who they are when they awake, I am sure," Professor McGonagall said, well aware that Hermione would be able to find out who they were from that sentence alone. "And please, remember that because they are newly awoken they are sensitive to those also reincarnated."

"They are?" Hermione asked, her brow furrowing. "I didn't realize that those recently awoken could tell that."

"It is typically kept quiet," Professor McGonagall admitted. "That way they are not overwhelmed." She sent a stern look over the rim of her glasses. "I trust you will keep that quiet between you and Mr. Longbottom."

  
Hermione flushed, dropping her gaze to her hands. "Yes, Ma'am."

Professor McGonagall hummed, her gaze steady. "Miss Granger, have you ever considered that you may be one of the Awoken?" She kept herself still and quiet as Hermione's head snapped up. When she gaped but didn't say anything, she continued. "I only ask because there have been some strange instances around you."

"Around Neville and I, you mean," Hermione muttered, her face going pale as she realized what she had said. "No disrespect of course," she said, stumbling over her words in the face of Professor McGonagall's arched brow. "I have thought about it," she acknowledged. "I know that Malfoy thinks that we are Hades and Persephone and that I am Spring reborn, here to soften the darkness."

"And you disagree?"

Hermione stared, her face flat and deadly. "I don't think I'm one to soften the darkness, Professor."

Professor McGonagall nodded her head. "So you think that you-"

She shook her head. "I don't know what to think." She sighed, clenching her fists before relaxing. "I think that anything is possible at this point." She shook her head again as if to clear it. "I think there is something wrong though," she said, her voice sharp and her glance pointed. "And I think you know it too."

***

" _…All the Gods are powerful, each with their own domain and their own set of powers. However, it is the three original brothers, Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon who hold the biggest sway over the others. Many forget, however, that the power began with none of them, instead, burgeoning with Hestia, the original Goddess of the stomach…"_

_\- Power Dynamics in Gods_ by Bathilda Bagshot

Albus Dumbledore's private annotated copy, stored among countless other books at the private Dumbledore cottage. It has been recently moved. Chapter 7, Page 94, Third Paragraph.

_"…There is a mystery surrounding the disappearance of all the Gods but none has been more intriguing than the sudden vanishing of Hades. Reincarnation is a piece of the godly powers bestowed upon them, but since Hades has gone, those who attempted to find a new vessel have been unable to. Those who left before him were able to come back, though in some cases it had taken centuries, and others still have yet to appear…"_

_\- Where Have They Gone?_ by Valentina Slughorn

Hermione Granger's copy. It is currently bookmarked and stored in Neville Longbottom's trunk. Chapter 18, Page 497, First Paragraph.

"… _I'm worried, Albus. They haven't reached out or spoken to me since their awakening. I know that it is typical for a withdrawal to occur but they haven't even told me. I had to find out from Ron. I would just simply feel so much better if you were to check up on them for me, especially as there is the potential for them to fall into Tom's grasp. Oh! It's the burden of motherhood to worry, but I never expected to worry for any of the Gods."_

\- Molly Weasley's Letter to Albus Dumbledore

It is opened, resting against a stack of books on the Headmaster's desk. Every once in a while, it is picked up and the last paragraph is reread. Final Page, Final Paragraph.

***

She hissed under her breath, pulling her head back from where it was resting against the couch. She blinked, rubbing her eyes to double-check that she wasn't hallucinating what she thought she was. Neville leaned over her, pressing his face to the glass window behind them. "Is that…?"

"Harry and Ron running off to do something incredibly stupid?" Hermione said grimly, pulling herself up and offering her hand to him. "Looks like it." She rolled her eyes, yanking him off the couch and turning, piling her hair on top of her head as she grabbed her wand. She turned back to him, smiling. "Ready to go kick some ass?"

Neville grinned back at her. "Always." They left the common room, ignoring the glances they got from the others. They strode through the halls, making their way out the front door. As their feet hit the grass he frowned, looking over at her. "What are they even doing?"

She shrugged before sighing and stealing a guilty look at him. "They may be convinced that Malfoy is going to be meeting up with Riddle tonight." At his look, she scrunched up her face. "I didn't think they would fucking leave the grounds," she said, picking up her pace as Harry and Ron's voices began to reach them. "I thought that they'd just use the map." She passed through the first few trees leading into the forest, skidding to a stop. "Where the hell are you two going?"

Ron jumped, whirling around, "Blimey, 'Mione, where the fuck did you come from?" He narrowed his eyes at Neville who came to a stop beside her. "What're you two doing here?"

"She's here to stop you," Luna answered, wandering over from where she had been hidden behind a tree. Hermione arched an eyebrow at her, flicking her eyes to the Ginny who had also appeared from the same tree. Luna waved to Neville, smiling when he waved back. "Isn't that right, Hermione?"

"Yes?" she said, glaring at Harry when he opened his mouth. "Where the hell are you even going?"

"Are you going to let me answer or are you going to bite my head off when I open my mouth?" Harry muttered back, a scowl on his face. She said nothing, tapping her foot and crossing her arms instead. He huffed, "we heard him talking about meeting Riddle in the Parthenon entry tonight." Harry shrugged. "If we go and catch him, we've solved the issue, right?"

"What issue?" Hermione said slowly, Neville steady at her back.   
  
"Riddle's not letting other Gods leave the Parthenon," Ron said, his face wane. "Dumbledore told us." When Hermione just stared at him, he shifted awkwardly on his feet. "If we stop him, Harry can see Sirius and Remus again."

"Are you sure?" Neville said, his voice low but carrying. "How do you even know that Malfoy isn't here?"

"Oh," Luna said. "He isn't."

"Luna's right," Harry said. "Also, he's not on the map."

"Nothing I say will convince you to do this another way will it?" Hermione asked.

"No," Ginny answered, speaking for the first time. She and Luna traded looks, something heavy in their gaze. "So I guess you're just going to have to come with us."

***

"What do you mean they're gone?" Professor McGonagall said, staring at Dean. He paled, his eyes wide, shrugging helplessly at her. She breathed in, holding it for a moment before nodding once. "Okay-"

"Professor, Fred and George are gone!" Lee said, barreling into the room with no regard for the meeting she was in. "I can't find them anywhere."

"Mr. Jordan!" Professor McGonagall snapped before his words registered. She pressed her hand to her head, pausing before rising from behind her desk. "Come," she said, ushering them from her room. She asked questions as they walked, heading towards Professor Snape's quarters, getting back nothing concrete from the two boys. She sighed, knocking on the door, hoping that he would be in.

The door cracked, Professor Snape's eyes widening minutely when he was the trio outside his door. "Minerva, Mr. Lee, Mr. Thomas," he said, opening the door and inviting them in. "What can I help you with?"

"Severus, I have been told that Gryffindor is missing students who have supposedly gone to confront Mr. Malfoy at the Ministry." His eyes flickered, the only part of him that changed, causing her to raise both her eyebrows. "I see," she said slowly to the confusion of Dean and Lee. "Well, if this is what I have been told, I must go to Albus." She nodded once to him, before turning to the other two. "Come, you two, I'm bringing you back to the dormitory where you will stay for the rest of the night."

The door shut behind her, cutting off the student's responses. Severus sighed, steeling himself for the dramatic and awful fight that was about to happen. He gathered himself, flooing into Malfoy Manor, where the others waited. He arrived with little fanfare, though the group quieted when they realized he had arrived. He walked through, heading straight for the study where Draco, Narcissa, and Tom were. He knocked, entering as soon as he was bid to. "Nike," he said, inclining his head. "I have bad news and good news. Bad news, Albus will soon be alerted. Good news, the others have been set up and are on their way to the Parthenon entry."

Tom grimaced, "I suppose we must make do." He glanced at Draco. "I insist you return to Hogwarts with Severus," he said. "Tie up loose ends where you can."

Draco nodded, brushing a kiss over Narcissa's cheek. "I'll find Father and let him know," he said, nodding once to Severus. "I'll see you in your office, sir."

He left, the tension in the study ratcheting up. Narcissa studied Tom, a small frown on her face. "Are you certain this is the best path? Won't Zeus' appearance make everything too difficult?"

"No," Tom said, rolling back his shoulders. "The best path to victory is never easy."

***

"This is the entry to the Parthenon?" Hermione said, surprise coating her words. "I expected something more." The room the six of them were arranged in was small, with pale grey stones. There was a runic array full of ancient runes burnt into the floor. She tilted her head, studying them. Every time she thought she understood one, the meaning slipped away as soon as she moved to the next.

"Yeah," Ron said, rolling his eyes. "What, none of your books have pictures?"

Hermione huffed but didn't deign to answer, instead exchanging a look with Neville. Luna and Ginny skirted the edge of the runes, Luna dropping down every so often to trace one. At the front of the room, Ron stood with Harry, both tense, gripping their wands. 

They all tensed as the sounds of footsteps reached their ears, Luna rising from her crouch and walking over to stand beside Hermione, Ginny following. She swallowed, gripping her wand so tightly the etched vine leaves pinched her skin.

"Fred?" Ron said, staring at the figures who were striding down the hallway towards them. "George?" He frowned at them. "I don't think you're supposed to be here."

Fred snorted, sliding past him, ignoring the wands trained on him. "I'm fairly certain that out of everyone, you six aren't supposed to be here."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Harry said, lowering his wand. "You two aren't-" He cut himself off, his face falling. "You're here to meet him."

"What?" Ron said, spluttering. "No, they wouldn't- right? Right?"

George sighed, glancing around at their group before shrugging. "We aren't here to meet you," he said. "In case that wasn't clear." He nodded to Neville, offering a smile to Ginny and Luna before raising an eyebrow at Hermione. "Wasn't expecting you to be here."

"Oh?" She said, raising an eyebrow. "What were you expecting?"

Fred smirked at her, "I think you know by now I can't tell you." She scrunched up her face, nodding.

"Okay, what the fuck is happening?" Ginny asked, frowning at the three of them. "What does she know that we don't?"

Hermione sighed, "I don't know anything that you all don't," she said. "I just know that they want plausible deniability, so they won't say anything that they can't deny."

"Quite right, Ms. Granger," a low voice came from the hallway. Harry and Ron whirled around, their wands at the ready, Ginny's swiftly following. Fred and George frowned, exchanging a look, while Neville jumped. Only Hermione and Luna looked completely unsurprised. "And look," the voice continued. "You were expecting this, weren't you?"

She sighed again. "Unfortunately yes Mr. Riddle." Tom slid from the shadows, flanked by Bellatrix and Regulus.

"Riddle," Harry hissed, his eyes narrowed. "You've gone too far this time."

"I have?" he said his tone mocking. "And just what have I done?"

"You've stopped the others from coming down!" Ron cried, his wand shaking in his grip. "And- And! You've corrupted my brothers," he said triumphantly.

"Oh, no," Bellatrix answered, her eyes glued to Hermione. "I'm afraid you're quite wrong on that one boys." Hermione met her gaze, only a slight head tilt giving away her unease. Bellatrix smirked, her face triumphant, the glint of _other_ sliding through her eyes. "We were right."

"Right?" Harry said, his voice hard. "Right about what?"

"Nothing to concern yourself with," Tom answered, his lips curling into a predatory smile. He nodded once, Bellatrix and Regulus whirling into motion, the two of them casting at the runic array on the floor. The students flinched.

"I knew it!" Ron cried, casting a spell at them. "Harry they're trying to destroy it!" Luna and Ginny exchanged looks, backing up to move with more ease around the room to get a better angle. Neville and Hermione remaining where they were standing, wands lowered and stances tense.

Before the spell could hit, Fred grimaced, flicking his wand out and halting the spell. "Don't," he said as Ron turned appalled eyes on him. Ron spluttered. Fred continued, his voice deadly serious. "You don't know what you're interfering with."

"What are we interfering with?" Harry asked, swallowing hard, his eyes tracking the girl's movements towards Tom.

Behind him, Tom laughed, "You have no idea what you're even fighting for, do you?" Harry whirled, his face set in a mask of anger. Tom sighed, flicking his wand and stunning Luna and Ginny in quick succession. They slid to the ground, crumpling in place.

Ron let out a roar of anger, turning to Fred and George. "You're going to fight for a God who does that?" He said, his wand sparking. He twisted in place, casting towards Tom who stepped out of the way.

George's face fell at the sight, "I know this is a lot," he said, wincing at the look Ron shot him. "But you need to listen."

"I don't need to do anything," Ron cried, glaring at him. "Harry you need to help me take them down." He glanced over his shoulder, taking in Hermione and Neville who were standing to the side. "Figures," he snorted. "Brightest witch of her age - can't even do-" His voice cut out as he crumpled from the stunner Hermione sent towards him, her face murderous.

"Hermione," Harry yelled, staring at her as though he had never seen her before. "What the fuck?"

Hermione glared at him, panting, Neville reaching over to grip her hand. "You need to listen to him, Harry James Potter," she snapped, moving out of the way as Bellatrix spun past her, still casting spells in tandem with Regulus. "He's telling the truth."

"What truth?" Harry cried, his wand aimed at her but lowered. "All I know is that-"

"You know nothing but lies," Regulus said, cutting him off. He cast a final spell, the array glowing suddenly. The stones lit up, their vibrancy blinding as a faint hum pierced the air. For a moment every person fell quiet, the stones capturing all their attention. Harry shuffled forward, his face confused. The brightness grew until it blinded them all. Hermione flinched back, hiding her face behind Neville. When it finally receded, a figure was collapsed among the runes.

Regulus barely waited for the runes to stop before he was rushing forward, Bellatrix following, both of them kneeling and murmuring to the figure. The student's attention so drawn to the scene that they didn't hear the sounds of more people moving towards them.

"Oh Tom," Dumbledore said, entering the room, others following. Hermione shivered, sliding so she was more hidden before Neville than before. Harry frowned, his eyes going back and forth between her and Dumbledore. Dumbledore ignored the others, his focus entirely on Tom. "You have gone too far." He gestured around the room, his grip tight on his wand. Molly Weasley shrieked at the sight of Ginny and Ron collapsed, her glare landing on the twins who had clearly done nothing for them. Dumbledore tsked, the satisfaction of cornering him obvious on his face. "You've done - what? Poisoned bright minds against me? Brought them to a dangerous place, all to sate your need to be the ruler of the Gods?"

Tom raised his eyebrows. "I think you may be mistaken." He shook his head, frowning. "I did not invite any of these underage children here," he said. "I came here, as is my right, and found them here." His eyes flicked to the side, watching as Regulus was able to prod the man into beginning to sit up. He snapped his eyes back to Dumbledores. "The stunners were an unfortunate side effect as they attempted to attack me."  


"A likely story," Molly huffed out, her face set in a mask of anger. "We know what you want." She turned to the three children, her voice pleading. "He's lying to you all," she said. "He wants to use you to overthrow Albus!"

"That's - that's a lie," the figure said, coughing as he rose from the floor, an arm slung around Regulus' shoulders. He lifted his face, offering a pained smirk at the room. Molly stared at him, her face slack. He nodded at Tom, before glaring at Albus. "Now, then, Albus, are you finally going to answer my questions?"

Dumbledore blinked at him, "Sirius, I'm afraid I don't know what you mean."

"Sure you fucking don't," Sirius snapped, glaring harder. Beside him, Bellatrix slid to the side, her focus on Tom as she brushed past the trio, slipping a small note in Neville's pocket. She exchanged a look with the twins, the two of them slowly moving to flank the trio. Sirius coughed again, shaking his head. "I am not one to lie in the face of something like this and you know it." He slid his hand down, pulling out his wand.

"Sirius," Dumbledore said, looking pained. "Don't do this."

"Don't do what?" Sirius said, tilting his head. Dumbledore gestured around the room. Sirius shook his head again. "You brought this on yourself, _Zeus_."

"I was simply worried that you would be unable to see sense but I had hoped that with time you would understand," Dumbledore growled, his pleasant façade fading. "I see now that you too have been corrupted beyond measure." He spun his wand, the others behind him drawing theirs as well. "If we must fight, so be it."

***

Neville had never seen so many Gods fighting in one space, their power destructive and deadly. Fred and George had herded them back against the wall, conjuring a wall to hide behind as the adults attempted to destroy each other. They had accio'd Ron, Ginny, and Luna's unconscious bodies to keep them safe as well. He frowned up at them, taking in their steady positions and the grip on their wands.

"This was a part of the plan," he said, watching at they exchanged looks but ignored his words.

"What plan?" Harry said his face pale. "I'm confused about what happened in the last five minutes, and that's not even with me thinking about how we ended up here."

Hermione sighed, gripping her wand tighter. "It's… complicated to understand," she said. "But I think that I'm going to have to live at Malfoy Manor this summer, so I'll see if you can come too."

"What the fuck?" Harry said, staring at her. "Since when are you friends with Malfoy?"

"I'm not," she hissed, turning to glare at him. "But since I'm positive that Dumbledore wants to murder me, that's the safest place for me."

"What?" Harry laughed, his face growing more and more uncertain when she just looked at him. "That's not- that's not true, right Nev?"

Neville shrugged, looking pained. "Sorry, mate." The three of them flinched at the sudden screams that began, the shrill sounds taking the place of the continuous noises of stone breaking and taunting. They tried to rise before both Fred and George shoved their heads back down.   


"Do not get up," George hissed, his grip tight enough that Harry's arm would be purple in the morning. "Dumbledore's gone and started attacking his own people."

Beside him, Fred froze. "Mum," he whispered, George, snapping up to turn around. The two exchanged a look, nodding before striding from where they were. Harry, Neville, and Hermione peeked up, watching as Dumbledore sent three spells towards the Weasley's one hitting Molly. The wall they were hiding behind disappearing as the twins fell.

Hermione sucked in a breath, "That wasn’t an accident." Bodies littered the room and she was uncertain if any were dead, her face pale. In front of them, Sirius and Tom stood, their wands pointing at Dumbledore.

"Give it up Zeus," Tom said his voice quiet.

Dumbledore smiled, shaking his head. "Oh Tom," he said, "What a mistake to make." He twisted, avoiding both spells that were cast at him, before spinning and casting one back. He smiled again, watching as the two of them dodged. "Did you really think that I wouldn't get what I needed tonight?" He said, casting another spell towards them. He paused, studying them before his voice hardened. "I always get what I want." He cast again, pulling back at the last moment to flick the spell at the corner of the room. The foundation shook, the room rattling, as he stepped forward and turned, whirling from the room.

"Is that it?" Neville said, frowning at the space. "It seems like-"

A scream cut him off. Turning to Hermione beside him, he froze, watching as she convulsed once, her hands flying to her throat, her wand falling from her fingers as she tipped backward, her face set in pain. She screamed again, her voice high and piercing before she collapsed, taking Harry down with her.

"Fuck," Tom hissed, his calm façade fading for the first time all evening. He strode over, grabbing her body, ignoring Harry and Neville's cries. "Take care of this," he snapped at Sirius before turning back to the two boys. "Which of you is her chosen?" He said, before shaking his head at the looks of confusion, "Nevermind, both of you, grab onto me." Neville moved first grasping his hand with Harry quickly following. The four of them whirled away, leaving Sirius alone in a room full of stunned bodies.

"Goddammit," Sirius said, frowning at the sight. He sighed, and began awakening those he could, starting with Regulus. At the sight of his brother, Regulus launched himself at Sirius, clinging to him as he hadn't since they were children. "It's okay Reggie," Sirius soothed. "We're going to fix this - I promise."

***

"You can't go in there," Tom said, pulling Harry back from his attempts to get into the room Tom had set Hermione in. Inside Narcissa was tending to her, attempting to cure her before she fell under the depth of the spell. Neville sat, his hands twined, his face in a mask of pain, at her bedside. Harry glared at him and Tom shook his head. "I'm sorry Harry," he said. "You can't."

"Why- not?" Harry panted, glaring even harder at him. He punched Tom on the shoulder, scowling when he didn't even flinch. "Fine," he snapped, slumping in his grip. "You're explaining all this to me then."

Tom nodded once, his tension fading as Harry stopped fighting. "We'll go to the study," he said, leading Harry down the stairs. Harry pulled his arm from his grip, fingering his wand as they walked through the manor, his gaze studying the corridors they passed through. "In here," Tom said, gesturing him through a doorway. Harry leveled him with a suspicious look before following him through. Tom pointed at an armchair, the door locking behind them. "Sit." Harry opened his mouth and he held up a hand. "I'll tell you everything you need to know. Just- a minute."

The two sat in silence for a moment, Harry dragging his gaze away from Tom to study the room. The office was opulent, with heavy velvet drapes, a sturdy oak desk, and plump armchairs. The fireplace smoldered, the main source of light coming in from the windows. Harry twisted in his seat, his eyes catching on a painting of the Parthenon. He tilted his head, studying the people moving among the open-air marketplace, their faces bright and happy.

"That's from 2,000 years ago," Tom said, following his gaze. He sighed, leaning back in his chair. "It was a much simpler time." He paused his eyes on Harry's. "What questions can I answer for you?"

"What happened back there?" Harry said, questions exploding from him. "Why does Hermione trust you? What were the twins doing? Was that Sirius Black? Why did Dumbledore curse Mrs. Weasley?" He panted, his face red from the force of his questioning.

"Those are all important questions," Tom said, his face serious. "I'll give you the best answers I can, but understand that some of these are speculation." He sighed, getting comfortable, gesturing for Harry to do the same. "Understand that this was not always how things were run. Before Hogwarts, before Zeus became too twisted, there was peace and understanding. We had moved on as Gods from the petty squabbles that had established our power structure in our youth. We had joined together, becoming more cohesive, more of a family."

"There were, of course, smaller issues that sprang up from time to time. But for the most part, things were good. Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, the others in charge, they were _good._ " He sighed again, looking pensive. "We had established this issue of reincarnation though, that some Gods wanted to try to be mortal. They wanted to try - not remain mortal. So, there was a trial run, with a smaller minor Goddess attempting it."

"Hecate made it through the reincarnation, completely smoothly. She was able to grow under her parents, keeping relative magical power until she turned 17 and awoke. And once she was back on the Mount, she was full of stories. She had learned and grown in a way that we as Gods were unable to when we were stuck in our whole and complete form." He smiled, the soft look wistful. "It was such a _revelation._ We, as Gods, had a way to know more than what we held, we could experiment in ways we wanted too, free of the issues that came with our powers."

"So began the mass movement towards reincarnation. We had no idea what we were doing," he said. "We just thought it was a grand old time."

"What were you doing?" Harry questioned, concentration clear on his face.

"We were giving parts of our Godliness over to Zeus," Tom said. "It's hard to explain to those who aren't Gods, but essentially, it's as if every time we became someone new, in the 17 years before we came back, Zeus held our powers-"

"He didn't ever do it?" Harry asked. "Like not at all?"

"No," he said. "Zeus thought it was beneath him, that he didn't need to change, and as Gods began choosing mortal lives for themselves, he began to grow accustomed to the power. He realized what was happening and kept it to himself, seeking ways to make it a larger and larger power grab for him."

Harry shook his head. "I'm confused - did he have the other Gods' powers?"

"Not exactly," Tom answered. "More like he got boosts to his own. He was able to be more powerful, do more on his own without relying on anyone else. It got to a point though, where he was searching for a large boost. And then he realized that the bigger the Godly power, the bigger the boost. So he began a campaign to convince the Council Gods to try it."

"Poseidon, Athena, Ares, Hestia - they had all gone and become the Founders as you know them. So since it had been so close, Zeus gave up on them, instead focusing his attention on the others - Demeter, Aphrodite, Dionysus, Hermes, Hades, Persephone, Hephaestus, Hera, Apollo, Artemis. He only had minimal success, with a few choosing to go at a time, but there was a limited boost to his powers."

"How do you know all this?" Harry interrupted, his eyes narrowed. "You seem to have this pretty well known."

"A lot of it came from Hera," Tom admitted. "She has access to his every room until she became who she is today and awoke to find all of Zeus' plans in motion. He offered to let her join him, but she knew he would kill her as soon as she let her guard down so she stole away, finding and collecting like-minded individuals since."

"But-"

"Harry," Tom said, exhaustion coating his words. "I will get there when I can." He sighed, waiting for Harry's reluctant nod before continuing. "Eventually Zeus somehow convinced almost all of the council to go at once, with only Apollo and Artemis withholding, aside from the four founders who wouldn't budge on any of his points. They all choose to go, ending with Hades."

"One by one, they dropped, each one adding to Zeus' power. However, what they didn't consider was the fact that while Zeus collected the power, Hades had kept them on track to be reborn. Without Hades - those who had chosen to go didn't appear after the 17 years that they were expected to. Instead, they seemed to disappear - with some appearing every so often afterward. None of us know what Hades did to keep us on track, but what did become apparent was that the older Gods took for longer to return, with some only returning in the same Hogwarts class as your parents."

"However," Tom said, "We do know that Zeus murdered Hades and Persephone, who always appear together, at least twice."

"How do you know that if he should have taken the longest?" Harry asked.

"I don't know why Hades was able to come back quickly - and I suspect that only Hades can answer that. I just know he was." He held up a hand at Harry's mulish expression. "Keep asking questions and this explanation will get longer." Harry rolled his eyes but subsided. "We're going to fast-forward to the fall of 1980. In early September, Hades awoke, briefly, for under a literal minute, but he awoke in such a way, that the others who were hidden awoke as well." Tom shook his head. "I don't know how it happened but it did."

"The flare caused seven other children to awake as well; Persephone, Nemesis, Tyche, Deimos, Phobos, Morpheus, and Iris. Two were hidden from Zeus' sight, but the sudden drain on his powers alerted him to the fact that he was about to lose _everything._ He tracked the power down where he could, unable to find Hades because of the muggle world, but gaining access to the others. Deimos and Phobos were in the Weasleys, a family he already had under his control, so he was unafraid of their Godliness. The others, however-" Tom cut himself off, scrubbing his hands over his face. "The others were unknown anomalies, so the parents ended up killed or tortured if they refused to give up their children."

Harry nodded slowly, taking it in. "So you know who the others are?" He frowned. "And I'm confused, why wouldn't Zeus kill them if he killed their families already?"

"Well," Tom said, watching Harry closely. "He needed Persephone to find Hades, and he desperately wanted Nemesis to aid him in the fight against Hera and I. The others I suppose he left alone because they weren't a big enough boost. If Apollo or Artemis had appeared, I suspect he would have killed them."

"Wait," Harry said, "I thought they didn't choose to go with Hades originally."

"They didn't," Tom said. "They went about 15 years after the big group with Hades. They haven't appeared since." He sighed. "To answer your questions from the beginning of this as best I can, in the years since Hades' brief flare, Zeus has become even more paranoid, taking to locking in the Gods on the Mount when he could, luring them up and trapping them. Ms. Granger trusts us- or well, she knows we won't kill her because she's been in talks with Draco since the beginning of this year." Harry scowled at him as Tom laughed. "I expect she didn't tell you because of that reaction."

"The twins have been wary of Zeus for a while, but they waited for their awakening to offer to help us. Tonight was supposed to be their way of proving themselves to us, but that was evidently ruined. We were attempting to open the Parthenon because it's been locked down since 1981 per Zeus' order. We wanted to try to get an open pathway for Gods again, but we were only able to pull Sirius through before we were interrupted as you saw. And as for your final question?" Tom shrugged, "I have no doubt that Zeus will spin that one on me."

"Say I believe you," Harry said. "Now what?"

"Well," Tom said, standing, "Now we get you situated and check up on the others."

***

Neville sat as still as he could manage, his hand clenching Hermione's. Her body was still, the convulsions that had wracked her frame for the past hour had finally faded. Across from him, Narcissa sat, her eyes closed, though Neville could tell that she wasn't asleep. He sighed, gently adjusting his position so he could lay his head down. He closed his eyes, slipping into sleep, waking only when Hermione was moved by Narcissa once. She smoothed a hand over his forehead, her face kind. She whispered something to him, but he had fallen back asleep before her words registered.

He woke up slowly, his arm numb from holding Hermione's hand the entire time. He lifted his head, grimacing at the fuzzy taste in his mouth, glancing around the room. Narcissa was across from him once again. He offered a small smile, yawning.

  
"Good morning," she whispered, smiling back. "You slept for almost twelve hours." Neville blinked at her in surprise. She laughed softly. "We believe it was partially the bond and partly the fact that you had had an exhausting day yesterday."

"Is Hermione going to be okay?" Neville asked as soon as he processed her words. Narcissa nodded. "When will she wake up?"

Narcissa frowned at the question. "Unfortunately, for as much as I was able to heal her, she still needs time to heal. She was hit by a spell Zeus had made specifically to strip Hades of life, and to take you out as well." He arched an eyebrow at her and she grimaced. "She had been hit by a slightly different but no less targeted spell in her third year if the tests I ran on her were true."

"Then why-"

"I can answer these questions over breakfast," Narcissa said, interrupting him. "Harry is still here and Draco also arrived this morning." She rose, ignoring his glower. "I know you wish to remain here Neville but Hermione would be most upset with me if you were to wither away at her bedside." She smirked, "And I have no desire to have an awoken Hades after me."

Neville sighed, reluctantly unlinking their hands as he stood, the blood rushing into his arm. He grimaced, nodding at Narcissa to lead the way. "But after…"

"After breakfast and a shower, yes, you can return to your vigilance." She ushered him through the door, shutting it with a soft thud. "I have monitoring spells on her if her pain spikes. I promise nothing will happen to her in the hour you are gone." She turned to him, meeting his gaze head-on. "As, Hera, Neville. I promise."

He nodded, his eyes wide. She nodded back, turning away and leading him through the manor. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't notice they had entered the dining room, only coming back to awareness as a body slammed into him.

"Neville!" Harry cried, pulling him into an even tighter hug when Neville hugged him back. "Thank God you're here."

"What?" Neville said, his anxiety skyrocketing. "Why, what's happening?"

Harry shot him a look, pulling him over to a chair. "I just know you wouldn't leave 'Mione unless you were positive she was okay and on the mend." Harry looked him over, frowning. "Though you look awful."

"Thank Harry," Neville muttered.

"Honestly, Potter," Draco drawled, "That was rude, even by my standards." Narcissa's chiding _Draco_ , doing nothing to curtail the smirk he sent Harry's way.

Harry rolled his eyes, sitting next to Neville. "How is she?" He asked, biting at his nails anxiously. "Tom said I wasn't allowed in to see her until she was more stable."

"She's okay," Neville said, taking a sip of water. He smiled at Narcissa. "It was only thanks to Lady Malfoy that she's as stable as she is."

Harry heaved a sigh, sinking even lower into his chair. "Thank fuck."

"You're taking this way better than I expected," Neville said, nibbling on a piece of toast. "I would've thought you would be long gone."

Harry shrugged. "Tom explained a lot of stuff - like about Zeus and the awakening and stuff." At Neville's arched eyebrow he shrugged again. "It makes sense to me."

Neville snorted. "It barely makes sense to me and I'm the one living it." He put the toast down, his stomach rolling. The room was quiet for a moment, the only sound the clinking of cutlery.

"I always knew 'Mione would be one of the awoken - she's too powerful to not be," Harry admitted quietly. "She didn't believe me when I brought it up to her but, now she has no choice." He was silent for a beat before adding, "You two make the most amount of sense to me. She was always drawn to you. Like in a more than a crush way," he said, blushing. "In a 'love for the ages' way."

"Of course she was," Draco said, rolling his eyes. "Persephone is always drawn to Hades." Neville set down his water he was sipping, exchanging a look with Harry. Draco furrowed his brow. "What?"

Neville turned to Narcissa. "You didn't tell him?"

She shook her head, a slight smile playing around her mouth. "I figured you would like to do the honors."

Draco scowled at her, before glaring at Harry and Neville. "What?"

"Hermione's not Persephone," Neville said, a grin growing at Draco's dawning look of horror. "She's Hades."

***

Hermione blinked, her eyelids sticking together for a moment before cracking open. She shifted, taking in the absence of pain, before tipping her head to the side. She was in a bedroom, which she assumed was in Malfoy Manor, as she wasn't dead or still being harmed. She twisted again, pushing herself up and wincing as her muscles groaned in protest. She sighed, slowly reaching over for her wand resting on the bedside table next to her.

She flicked her wand, taking in the glowing numbers of 09:37 before shifting again. She was suddenly aware that she could sense that Neville was somewhere close to her. She slid her legs to the side, contemplating how bad it would be if she put any actual weight on her feet. Shrugging, she decided it was worth it, standing gently. She stepped forward, staggering for a moment before getting her balance. She slowly walked to the bathroom, her burning urge to pee the largest issue in her mind.

While in the bathroom, she caught sight of what she looked like in the mirror, grimacing at the streaks of dried blood that someone had missed while she was unconscious. She spun, smiling at the massive shower that was behind her.

As she showered, she realized that she had no idea what had happened last night. She vaguely remembered burning pain, the awful feeling of convulsions running up and down her spine, her throat raw from screaming, the sensation of someone gripping her hand, which had been the only part of her that hadn't hurt. She swallowed hard, wincing at the sensation, before stepping out to towel off. Her clothes that she had been in had been taken by elves as she had been in the shower, leaving behind the softest pair of pajamas she had ever felt and a thick robe.

She dressed slowly, taking care not to strain her muscles any more than they were. By the time she was fully clothed, her stomach was growling in hunger. She paused for a moment upon entering her room, debating between slipping back into bed or attempting to find the kitchen or dining room by herself. She sighed, knowing that she should stay in bed, but the urge to find Neville and food was too strong to resist so she left her room, leaving the door cracked so even if she got lost she could maybe find her room again.

She walked slowly down the hallway, her eyes catching of portraits and paintings, many of them turning to whisper to others as she wandered through. She paused at the top of the stairs, uncertain if her legs could take them.   
  
"Hermione!" a voice called, causing her to jump, her muscles groaning in agony as she landed. She turned to see Fred and George striding towards her down the hallways, their faces concerned. "You should be in bed," Fred said, frowning at her.

"Ne- Neville," she croaked, wincing at the pain. "Ple- please."

The two exchanged a look, before Fred nodded slowly. "I'm going to carry you though," George said, raising an eyebrow at her irritated expression. He shook his head. "It's either I carry you or you go back to bed." Hermione huffed, before nodding, extending her arms to let him lift her.

  
He picked her up gently, carrying her down the stairs as softly as he could, Fred hovering anxiously around them. "Neville," George double-checked, feeling her nod against his chest. He exchanged another look with Fred, the two of them worried but not voicing it.

Hermione patted his chest, reaching out to Fred to hold his hand. "Do-don't worry," she whispered, offering them both tiny smiles. "Stron-stronger than I l-look."

Fred sighed, his voice fond. "I know, 'Mione." He opened the door for George, hiding a smile. "I think everyone in this house knows it." She grinned at him, squeezing his hand as they entered the dining room. The laughter cut off immediately.

"Hermione?" Neville said his focus on the girl in George's arms. As soon as she heard his voice, Hermione turned in his arms, squirming out of them and throwing herself at Neville, ignoring the twinges of pain in her body. "I was so worried," Neville breathed, wrapping her in his arms, unable to keep the tears at bay at the sight of her awake. He nodded to Fred and George, who were avoiding Narcissa's glare.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" Narcissa said, staring them down. Beside Neville, Harry reached out, softly whispering to Hermione, with her reaching out to hold his hand.

They shifted, exchanging looks before they both began to talk.

"Some portraits told us-"

"-And she was just wandering around-"

"-Looks like she's going to fall down the stairs-"

"-Couldn't-"

"I-I was go-going to walk down the sta-stairs, with or without-t them," Hermione said, her vocal cords growing less strained as she spoke. "My choice." Draco watched her the recent revelation clicking several things into place for him.

Narcissa looked at her, trailing her eyes up and down her body, taking in her wet hair, and her change of clothes. "Yes," she said. "I can see that." She sighed. "And it's not like they would've been able to leave you there."

"What does that mean?" Harry said looking up from Hermione. She patted his hand, sliding herself so she was sitting more comfortably in Neville's lap. She leaned back, letting him hook his chin over her shoulder as he gently pulled her back against him as if to reassure himself that she was real.

"They're Phobos and Deimos," Hermione answered, reaching out to pull a cup of tea and oatmeal towards her. "They're kind of like my bodyguards."

Harry gaped at her. "Have you awoken?" He said, looking sick suddenly. "That wasn't what was happening last night, right?"

"No," Narcissa answered. "That was torture." She eyed Hermione, taking in the steady way she and Neville leaned into each other. "I suspect it made somethings clearer for her though." Hermione nodded at her, swallowing down a small spoonful of food.

"I'm also confused as to how you're awake," Harry said, backpedaling at Neville's glare. "Not that it's a bad thing!"

Hermione shrugged, "I don't really know either." She looked at Narcissa who shrugged as well, though her shrug was far more elegant. She looked back at Harry. "Magic?" She offered, ignoring the groans it brought about. Fred and George winked at her, causing her to roll her eyes.

"Well," Narcissa said, rising. "I will be back to check on you, Ms. Granger." She smiled at the eclectic group sitting in her dining room. She inclined her head, towards her, ignoring the cut-off gasp Draco made as she left.

"What?" Hermione and Harry said in tandem.

Draco glared at Harry before swallowing and looking at Hermione. "She doesn't do that," he said, his voice so soft, she had to lean in to hear it. "It's a sign of respect and hierarchy in the Parthenon." Hermione nodded, her eyes steady on his. He grimaced but forced himself to say it. "You are Hades, aren't you?"

Hermione smirked, a mean look flitting across her face before she nodded once. She settled back against Neville, letting him take the majority of her weight as she ate, the smirk playing around the corners of her lips for the rest of the meal.

***

The next week settled into a routine. Hermione would wake each morning, entangled with Neville, rising to stretch and keep her muscles moving before showering. She would gain a hot flash of pleasure at the sight of him in her bed each morning as she left for breakfast. When Neville had the choice, he would sleep in, meeting her at the table later, brushing an absentminded kiss over her head as he sat beside her.

Harry and Draco would join them, always bickering and taunting each other. As the week wore on, Hermione noticed that the taunts became more friendly, their insults taking on a vaguely affectionate air. Draco remained wary of her, occasionally falling silent at her stare, though Harry would always tease him for it later.

Fred and George would shadow her most days, just appearing in the room she was in, checking in on her before going off to wherever Tom had asked or where Narcissa was. As Narcissa put it, Hermione was only in charge of getting better for now, though she looked forward to when she was cleared to help them with whatever they were doing.   
  
Harry would follow join her and Neville every afternoon, though he would often spend tea time with Sirius, getting to know him. She had met him at dinner after the first morning, and she had been pleasantly surprised at his kind and welcoming demeanor.

She hadn't known why she had expected the incarnation of Aphrodite to be a rude bitch to her, but she supposed that she had long thought of Aphrodite as just a worse version of Lavender. Sirius was brilliant in his own way, though he was far more heavily invested in getting to know her as Hermione, Harry's friend, than he was in getting to know her as the reincarnation of Hades.

Tom, Bellatrix, Regulus, and Lucius, Draco's father, also joined them each night at dinner. Draco had explained to her in the days after her initial recovery day, that Narcissa had fallen for Lucius before she had known she was Hera and had already decided to marry him when she awoke. Her awakening to the mess that was Zeus had only further confirmed her desire to escape and she had slipped away, marrying Lucius as soon as she could.

At her side the entire time, Neville stood, growing more and more into the man she knew he would become. They were quickly reaching new depths in their relationship, their ability to live and sleep together unhindered only enhanced their already strong relationship. Though she knew Neville had suspected for years that she was Hades, his unconditional support and love meant the world to her, and her love for him grew in return.

They were completely and utterly devoted to each other, two halves of the whole, soulmates; reunited at last.

***

**_HADES SIGHTED AT LAST - HEADMASTER DUMBLEDORE TELLS ALL_ **

_Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, also known as Parthenon and Council Leader Zeus, has let the Daily Prophet know that he has at long last found Hades, not yet awoken sixteen-year-old Hermione Granger who was sorted into Gryffindor in 1991. He warns however that, "she has found her way to Tom Riddle's side" and has "let him blind her to the truth"._

_As worrying as that sounds, Dumbledore assures us that all is not lost._

_"She is welcome back at Hogwarts," Dumbledore said at a press conference this past Wednesday. "In fact," he said, smiling at the crowd, "So is Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom." He sighed, his voice weary. "All I ask is that you renounce Tom Riddle's views." He shook his head. "He wants to drag you down, using you until you have served your purpose." He sighed again, tear glistening in his eyes. "Just look at what he's done to your families."_

***

"What the fuck," Harry said, ignoring Narcissa's glare at the dinner table. He tossed the paper further down the table, uncaring of the glasses he knocked over. Tom picked it up, his eyes glancing over the title of the article before raising an eyebrow. "Read it," Harry said tersely.

Tom picked up the paper again, skimming until he hit the third paragraph. "Ah," he said, handing the paper over to Sirius who paled as he read it.

"Yeah," Harry said. "Explain that."

Tom glanced around, taking in everyone's expressions before glancing at Narcissa. She nodded once, before rising. "Everyone out," she said, brushing a hand over Harry's head as she passed. The others, aside from Hermione rose, following her out quietly.

Neville lingered at the door, watching her. "Do you want me to stay?" she asked quietly. "I can go if you want." Harry shook his head, curling his hand around hers. He glanced up, taking in Neville, Tom watching the three of them interact. He sighed, jerking his head to the seat next to her, Neville giving him a small smile as he slid back into his seat.

"So," Hermione said, her eyebrow arching. "What's happened now?"

"Zeus has accused me of destroying your two families," Tom said, watching as Neville absorbed the news. "There is no doubt that he hopes that your rage would blind you to the truth, that you would've stormed in and cast first, asking questions later." He turned, facing Harry straight on. "Do you remember at the beginning of this, when I said that Dumbledore had gone, from family to family, and killed them or tortured as he went?" Harry nodded slowly, a look of horrified realization creeping over his face.

"Yes," Tom said, in response to the unasked question. "You are one of those children."

"What?" Harry whispered hoarsely, his grip on Hermione's hand tightening until she was wincing in pain. "That's not possible." He glanced at Neville, only to see the expression of sympathy on his face. He looked back at Tom. "Who- who am I then?"

"Nemesis," Tom said, his face clear of sympathy. "The one Zeus wanted the most."

"No- no," Harry said, his voice wavering. "That's- that can't be true."

Tom grimaced, "I'm sorry Harry. I thought Sirius had told you already."

"No," Harry said blankly. "He hadn't said anything."

"Hey," Hermione said, squeezing his hand. "We're doing this together, okay?" Harry nodded. "I'm serious," she said, locking eyes with him. "Together."

***

"What's the plan?" Hermione asked, on the morning she was finally deemed healthy enough. She bounced through the door, bringing Harry, Draco, and Neville with her, uncaring of the looks she received. She stretched, smirking at the adults. "I'm ready to kick some ass."

Narcissa rolled her eyes, having given up in her attempts to curb Harry, Hermione, and Sirius' mouth. "If you stopped moving ceaselessly, we would tell you." Hermione smiled at her, pulling Neville over to a chair and sitting on his lap, ignoring the snorts she garnered.

"Okay," she said, once she was settled. "What's the plan?"

"Well," Tom said. "As of right now, the plan is keeping you alive until your birthday in September."

"Oh," Hermione said, frowning as Neville tensed beneath her. "What happens after?"

"Up to you," Sirius answered. "We do expect those we know of will also awake with you." He elaborated at Fred's look. "The pull of Hades should be enough, and if it is, we can definitely overwhelm Zeus - he'll have expected a drop in powers but not one that is followed by everyone else awakening."

Harry shifted next to Draco, ignoring his irritated look. "Can we know the others who will awake?"

Tom and Narcissa exchanged another look before Tom sighed. "We can tell you who we suspect-"

"Good enough!" Harry said, grinning excitedly. He subsided under the looks he got. "Sorry."

Narcissa waved him off. "Well, there's you four," she said, Harry's mouth dropping open in astonishment as he glared at Draco who was pointedly looking elsewhere, a satisfied smirk on his face. "And then, we believe there's Theodore Nott and Susan Bones." She sighed, looking down. "And if we get very, very lucky, Apollo or Artemis might surface as well."

"You didn't tell me you were one of us too," Harry accused Draco. "What the hell?"

Draco shrugged, glancing around the room before looking straight at Harry. "You were the only one who didn't seem to know."

"Hey!" Harry said, glaring at Hermione and Neville. "You're supposed to tell me stuff like this."

"Sorry," she said, badly hiding her smile. "Won't happen again." Harry huffed, crossing his arms. Hermione rolled her eyes, before turning serious. "What happens if- when," she corrected, "when we kill Zeus?" The room instantly sobered, her question ratcheting up the tension immeasurably.

"He'll reincarnate eventually," Tom finally said, his expression pensive. "We'll just have to figure it out with the full council afterward."

***

The few months until her birthday flew by, tensions rising each day, as the adults in the manor began to grow more and more anxious. Earlier in the summer, they had come together and decided it was too risky for the four of them to return to Hogwarts, leaving them essentially trapped in the manor, though as they lived together, the four of them became closer and closer, each simultaneously dreading and looking forward to the return to normalcy. The day before her birthday, she awoke, feeling the tension immediately. She turned her head to meet Neville's eyes, a soft smile spreading across her face.

"Good morning," he whispered, pulling her close to him. She closed her eyes, tilting her head against his chest, pressing an absentminded kiss over his heart. They remained in bed far longer than they normally did, dreading leaving and facing the uncertainty that the day was set to bring.

Though none of the adults were certain, a theory had been floated at the beginning of summer that Zeus would save most of his power for the day before her birthday, attempting to kill her one final time before she awoke. He had taken to sending her curse mail items or mail pieces with portkeys embedded in the paper. Every attempt had been caught, though there had been a few which had almost succeed, leaving her exceedingly wary for the day before her birthday.

She sighed, reluctantly pulling herself from Neville as she rose. She smirked at him, a sudden playfulness in her expression. "Shower with me?" she asked, watching as he choked. He nodded slowly, his eyes intent on her as she slowly stepped from her clothes, leaving them puddled on the floor as she made her way into the shower.

She hissed, moments later, the sudden touch of his bare skin on hers a surprise, even though it was expected. She turned, peering up at him, rejoicing in the feeling of him near her. As each hour ticked closer to her birthday, she could feel him more and more, her senses becoming more attuned with him.

He smiled down at her, bending down to kiss her even as he hoisted her up. She smiled back into the kiss, wrapping her legs around him. He pulled back, a sly look in his eyes. "How do you feel about a pre-birthday present?" he asked, pressing a kiss over her heart.

She smiled back, her happiness clear in every line of her body. "Sounds like the best present possible," she answered, leaning down to kiss him again, more than willing to let him sweep her away.

After their shower, they skittered downstairs, where instead of the smaller breakfast group, the usual dinner crew was waiting for them.

"Surprise!" they cried, flicking their wands, as streamers and balloons erupted from them. Hermione laughed, hugging each of them before pulling Neville to their usual spots. Around them, bright chatter erupted, though the tension of what could come remained. Hermione smiled at everyone, only her heart betraying her nerves. Neville squeezed her hand, exchanging a look with her before she shook off the vaguely foreboding air that surrounded her. It was almost her birthday, she reminded herself. She deserved this.

***

The day had been excellent in a way Hermione hadn't expected. Nothing out of the ordinary happened, everything progressing so smoothly that she kept glancing around, waiting for the atrocity the Zeus had set up to fail. Narcissa had confessed earlier that he had sent her some cursed birthday gifts, but that they were confiscated.

The hours were ticking down more quickly than she expected, until they were only a half an hour from her real birthday, all of them drowsy in front of the fireplace.

Harry shook himself, glancing around before clapping his hands. "Presents!" He said, pulling a gift from out of nowhere. He nudged Hermione, waking her from her doze, ignoring the glare she sent him.

Neville nudged her too, also immune to the narrow-eyed stare she sent him. "Sorry love," he said, holding in a smile, "Harry's right, we should do presents tonight since tomorrow's a big day." He waited for her to roll her eyes before offering her Harry's present.

She pulled the wrapping paper off, smiling at the sight of a new book. "You know me so well," she said.

"I know," Harry smirked, dodging from her gentle slap. He mock-scowled at her. "Hey, Neville's the one who put this all together." Hermione tried to scowl at Neville, but the look quickly dissolved into a smile. Harry mimed throwing up, rolling his eyes at their sappiness. "Open Neville's next," he said, bouncing in place.

Neville grinned at her, grabbing her present. "Okay," he said, his smile slipping at the feel of his present. "Wait," he said, panic rushing into his expression. "This-"

With a soft pop, Neville and Hermione disappeared.

***

Her and Neville's sudden disappearance stunned everyone in the room for a moment before they slid into action, weeks of prep work suddenly coming to fruition. Fred and George strode from the room to gather their supporters, their wands already out and casting patroni to summon them to Hogwarts.

Bellatrix and Regulus disapparated, immediately heading to the Parthenon entrance. Sirius locked eyes with Tom, waiting for his nod before grabbing Harry and Draco and heading to Hogsmeade.

Narcissa and Tom stared at each other for a moment.

"All or nothing," she said, watching for his acknowledgment before she left the room to go change into her armor. Tom clenched his fist at her exit. All those precautions, all those issues, completely for naught. He shook his head - it didn't matter now. Hermione was mere minutes from her birthday. She would be able to hold on, he knew it.

***

Zeus smiled as they arrived, the shackles snapping into place with two cries of pain. He had expected that they would fall for it. Focus on getting to Ms. Granger, and he would train them to expect threats for her. He shook his head, a smirk gracing his lips. What fools they were, he thought, to even believe that they could outsmart him.

He tsked, striding from the shadows. "Ms. Granger," he said, the smirk only growing at the look of absolute hatred she sent him. "How unfortunate that you couldn't join my side." He tilted his head, ignoring her petty threats of destruction. "I wonder," he mused, walking over to Mr. Longbottom. "I wonder if the bond has progressed enough for you to feel this?" He slid his wand down Mr. Longbottom's chest, shallow slices following. He flinched is his grip but made no sound. At her lack of reaction and continued threats, he frowned.

"No?" He pulled his wand back, stabbing deeply into his shoulder blade, the wound causing Mr. Longbottom to scream. Across from him, Ms. Granger paled, her fingers reaching back to touch her shoulder blade. He smiled. "I thought so."

He repeated the action, taking deep satisfaction on the pained noises the two were letting out. As he finally dropped the knife, letting Mr. Longbottom breathe for a moment, he crossed over to Ms. Granger, he watched her drop in the chains, her face slamming into the concrete.

He shook his head. "That's quite-" Cocking his head he paused in what he was saying, a slow terror sweeping through his body as he realized what he was hearing - the clock tower striking midnight.

***

  
As the bell tolled midnight, Zeus turned to her, his face suddenly crazed. Hermione smiled, the blood from her broken nose, dripping onto her teeth. In the darkness, he realized that she looked dangerous. He pushed the fear to the side, casting a dizzying array of spells at her.

"Oh," she whispered, feeling the welcoming grasp of power, suddenly feeling the slide of knowledge across her nerves, the stunning rush sweeping her up. She snapped her head up, shifting to the shadows to the left of her and pulling herself through them. She barely paused, sliding from her shackles a moment before the spells slammed into her, pulling herself to Neville.

Neville, who at the toll of the bell, had snapped his eyes open, staring at her. She felt their bond settle at the touch of their skin, needing no words to pull them and Zeus to the front hallway where she could feel the gathering of people beginning. They fell through the shadows, her and Neville landing far more gently than Zeus did.

Upon his realization of where he was, Zeus pulled himself up, doing little to hide his shock at the sight of the gathered Parthenon who was staring at him. "Friends," he said, attempting to smile. "I'm so glad you could join us."

"Shut the fuck up," Sirius said, striding through the room, his face murderous.

Zeus sighed, flicking his wand at the entrance to the Great Hall, which opened to reveal a large group of his supporters. "I did try," he said, offering another smile before narrowing his eyes. "But I guess that's what I get for trying."

***

The two groups collided, though it became quickly obvious that Zeus had done nothing to provide his followers with any sort of idea of who they were following. They were downed easily, but the sheer amount of them was stunning.

Hermione and Narcissa exchanged glances, Hermione quickly pulling Neville away to the sidelines even as he protested before heading into the thick of the battle.

She headed towards Zeus, only casting stunners towards others when the got in her way. "Zeus," she called, staring him down as he turned towards her. "We have some unfinished business."

"Oh," Zeus said, his expression mild. "I hadn't realized."

Hermione growled, launching herself at him. The two exchanged spell fire quicker and quicker, Hermione relying more on her luck and shadows than her actual knowledge of spells. Their fight built and built, with her growing more and more exhausted as time went on.

She shifted to the left, immediately realizing her mistake when it left her wide open. Zeus grinned whirling around, his wand aimed directly at her before freezing as a spell burst through his chest. Hermione stopped, panting harshly, as the last sounds of the battle faded at the sight of Zeus toppling. Narcissa grinned at her, expression fierce, from where she stood behind his body, her face coated in blood.

"Zeus has fallen," Tom said, appearing at her side suddenly. "Long live the queen." Slowly a cheer built up, those who had come down from the Parthenon yelling their support the loudest, until the entire room was full of cheers.

She turned, her eyes searching out Neville's in the crowd. He smiled at her, the two of them colliding with each other, with no regard for any of the attention they were receiving.

"We did it," she gasped against him, pulling as tightly against her as she could. He nodded against her head, gripping her just as tightly. "We fucking _did_ it."

**Author's Note:**

> I have been going through the 'Inspired by Hades and Persephone' tag on here and I got this stuck in my head and I could not let it go. This was heavily inspired by all of those in that tag from all different fandoms, but specifically, 'The Chosen' by LittleMulattoKitten, which should be linked above. 
> 
> I thought this was going to be a small drabble but it turned into whatever this is. I don't really know how I feel about it but I wrote it out too quickly for it to go nowhere, so I just had to get rid of it. I feel like I wrote it strangely, but let me know if you like it or want other pieces of it.
> 
> I hope y'all are staying safe - feel free as always to reach out to me!
> 
> Spoiler below:  
> I was so so SO tempted to leave it at the line "Hermione's not Persephone," Neville said, a grin growing at Draco's dawning look of horror. "She's Hades." but the story had more to it, but also wow, I really contemplated leaving it at that line for a moment. I love Draco, but also like, fuck yeah, Hermione is Hades. Get fucked.


End file.
